Shielded paint rollers



Sept. 7, 1965 w. L. KENNEDY, SR

SHIELDED PAINT ROLLERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1963 INVENTOR.

,f4/4475@ L. @ENA/gx se,

TTOE/VEYS sept. 7, 1965 Filed Aug. 16. 1963 w. L.. KENNEDY, SR 3,204,276

SHIELDED PAINT ROLLERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG 8.

I NVENTOR. 14ML 7E@ ,KEN/V50 5f Se,

United States Patent Ofice 3,2@4276 Patented Sept. 7, 1965 3,204,276 SHELDED PAFNT RQLLERS Walter L. Kennedy, Sr., Berkley, Mich. (37 D St., Southfield Downs Mobile Home Court, Southfield, Mich.) Filed Aug. 16, `1963, Ser. No. 302,618 16 Claims (Cl. 1'5-2'3l}.1'1)

This invention relates to novel shielded paint applicator rollers for limiting painted areas, and for edging, as in painting in corners and around woodwork, and the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of more efficient, more practical, and more easily used devices of the kind indicated which incorporate divergent guards, at the ends of resilient and compressible rollers, which have free edges adapted to bear against the surface being painted, for accurate definition of limiting edges, and for prevention of transfer of paint from the rollers beyond such edges, the guard plates being hingedly mounted and spring-pressed to their operative positions, and adapted to be spread out of the way when the rollers are applied to paint pans or trays to take up paint therefrom, so that the guard plates avoid taking up paint therefrom.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in guard plates of the character indicated above, of convex arcuate surface-contacting edges, which afford freedom of angling of the devices, relative to surfaces being painted, these arcuate edges being either integral with the guard plates, or in the form of rotating discs journaled on the guard plates.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following dcscription and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for

ypurposes of illustration only, specitic forms of the invention are set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a top plan view of a device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a front end elevation thereof, showing the guard plates in operative positions, in full lines, and in retracted positions, in phantom lines;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical transverse section, taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged front perspective view of the frame of the device;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary front elevation, on the scale of FIGURE 4, partly broken away and in section, of another device of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side elevation View thereof;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan View thereof.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to FIG- URES 1 through 5 thereof, the device therein illustrated, and generally designated 12, comprises a frame 14 (see FIGURE 5) which is composed of a longitudinally elongated flat rectangular plate 16, having low profile rectangular upstanding transverse front and rear flanges 18 and 20, on its forward and rear ends. The front flange 18 is formed with vertical slots 22 located near its side edges, the upper ends of the slots 22 being longitudinally aligned with holes 24 in the rear flange 20. On a level with the lower ends of the slots 22, the front flange 18 .is formed with a horizontal, transversely elongated slot 26, which is equally spaced from the vertical slots 22, and which is registered with a similar slot 27, in the rear flange 20.

A reclining L-shaped tongue 28 is cut out of the material of the plate 16 of the frame 14 and bent down to position therebelow. The tongue 2S comprises a perpendicular vertical rear portion 30 and a forwardly exlud tending flat horizontal main portion 32, which is parallel spaced from the plate 16, and extends forwardly a substantial distance beyond the front flange 18. The main portion 32 has a centered rectangular notch 34, in its forward end.

The device 12 further comprises a pair of downwardly divergent roller carrier arms 36, which terminate, at their lower ends, in downwardly and laterally inwardly angled pintles 38. At their upper ends, the carrier arms 36 merge into short touching perpendicular portions 40, which are on the forward ends of touching longitudinally elongated horizontal portions 42. The portions 42 are joined, at their rear ends, by an arcuate bight portion 46. This construction enables the formation thereof from a single piece of relatively heavy gauge wire or the like.

The portions 42 are extended rearwardly and engage frictionally through the slots 26 and 27 of the flanges 18 and 2t) of the frame 14, and extend rearwardly from the frame, as shown in FIGURE l. A handle 48 comprises a flat tube 5) which fits removably and closely over the bight portion 46 and the rear ends of the portions 42, and is provided with a wing screw 52, threaded through the top wall of the tube 5i), for holding the handle in place. The handle 43 further comprises a rod having a forward portion 54 secured axially to the rear end of the tube 5th, which merges, at its rear end, into an elongated straight portion 56, which is disposed at an acute lateral angle to the portion 54, in a horizontal plane. A hand grip 5S is provided on the rear end of the portion 56. The carrier arms 36 are spaced forwardly from the frame 14, and are disposed at right angles thereto, and the portions 40 thereof are seated in the notch 34, in the forward end of the tongue 28.

Shafts 60, longer than the frame 14, extend rotatably through the slots 22 of the front flange 18, and through the holes 24 in the rear flange 20 of the frame 14. The shafts 60 terminate, at their rear ends, in upwardly divergent arms 62, having loops 64, on their upper ends, which serve as finger-pieces.

Similar downwardly divergent roller guide and guard plates 66 are formed, at their upper ends, and at their laterally inward sides, with horizontal longitudinal tubes 68, which receive the parts of the shafts 60 which extend forwardly from the frame 14. The tubes 68 are fixed non-rotatably to the shafts, by any suitable means, such as welding, crimping, etc., as indicated at 76.

The guide and guard plates 66 are of vertically elongated, generally rectangular shape and are provided with convex arcuate lower edges 72, for contacting surfaces to be painted, andfor defining limiting edges of painted areas thereon.

A paint roller 74 comprises preferably solid plastic circular roller ends 76, which comprise reduced diameter inwardly tapered circular thick main portions 78 and relatively thin edge portions 80, the ends 76 being formed with axial bores 82 extending therethrough, which rotatably receive the pintles 38 on the lower ends of the carrier arms 36 thus enabling roller rotation. Washers 84, on the pintles are disposed between the outer surfaces of the ends 76 and the arms 36.

The roller 74 further comprises an hour-glass shaped coil spring 86, whose maximum diameter end convolutions 88 surround the main portions '78 of the roller ends 76 and bear against the inward surfaces of the edge portions thereof. The spring 86, being compressed between the roller ends '76, has its upper portion under maximum compression, and the lower portion under minimum compression, as shown in FIGURE 4, whereby the lower portion 90 of a roller sleeve 92, circumposed on the spring 86, is maintained in a substantially flat, stretched condition, at the point of rolling application of paint to a surface.

lower edges of the paint roller ends 76, so that full coni tact of the roller sleeve 92 is not obtained, unless and until downward pressure is exerted on the device, by means of the handle 48, against the resistance of a spring 96.

The spring 96, as shown in FIGURE 4, comprises a loop 98, circumposed on the portions 42 of the carrier arms 36, against the forward surface of the front flange 18 of the frame 14, from which extend laterally outwardf ly and downwardly, arms 100, which bear against the outer surfaces of upper parts of the guide and guard plates 66.

When the paint roller 74 is to take up paint, as from a at tray or pan, the upper ends of the shaft arms 62 are compressed toward each other, against the resistance of the spring 96, whereby the guide and` guard plates 66 are spaced laterally outwardly and upwardly, as indicated in phantom lines, in FIGURES 3, so that the guide and guard plates avoid taking up paint. Another spring 97, similar to the spring 96, has a coil 99 embracing the carrier arm portions 42, behind the front frame flange 18, and has arms 101 which overlie the shafts 60, whereby the shafts 60 are pressed to the lower ends of the slots 22 in the front clamp flange 18, so that the lower edges 72 of the guide and guard plates 66, extend below the roller 74, until pressure is exerted by the handle 43, against a surface to be painted.

In use and operation, the paint roller 74 having taken up paint, and the guide and guard plates 66 restored to position, by release of the shaft arms 62, the roller 74 is rolled upon the surface to bepainted, with the arcuate lower edges 72 of the guide and guard plates in contact with the surface and defining, along the lower edge of either or both guide and guard plates an arcuate guide line for the paint applied to the surface. The lower edge of one of the plates may be placed in a corner of the surface being painted, as for example, in'FIGURE 3, to guide the roller as close as possible to an adjacent upright wall and to aid in preventing streakingy of paint on the adjacent wall surface.

The device of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 6 to 8, and generally designated 12a, is similar in construction to the device 12 of FIGURES 1 to 5, except for the construction of the guide and guard plates 66a, and the paint roller 74a.

In the device 12a, the guide and guard plates 66a are shorter than the guide and guard plates 66, and are brought to full length by discs 102, which are journaled on headed rivets 103 which extend through centered lower parts of the plates 66a, thev discs 102 being positioned at the laterally outward sides of the plates 66a, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. The lower edges of the discs are spaced below ythe lower edges 72a of the guide and guard plates 66a.

As shown in FIGURE 6, the paint roller 74a has roller ends 76a, which are in the form of rigid lightgauge circular members which have llat peripheral edge portions 80a, annular pan-shaped main portions 78a, which extend inwardly from the inner edges of the edge portions 80a. The inner edges of the main portions 78a merge into inwardly tapered annular portions 104, whose openings 106 are substantially larger in diameter than a tubular shaft 108, on which the portions 104 are loosely circumposed. Washers 84a are seated in the pan-shaped portions 78a.

Instead of the pintles 38a being directly on the lower ends of the carrier arms 36, as in FIGURES 1 to 5,

4 the pintles 38a are coaxial, and are on the lower ends of perpendicular portions of the carrier arms 36a. The pintles 38a are rotatably engaged in the ends of the tubular shaft 108, thereby allowing roller rotation.

The paint-bearing component 4of the roller 74a, instead of being 'composed of a sleeve over a spring, as in FIGURES 1 to 5, is composed of a plurality of relatively thick cylinders 112 of absorbent, resilient, and compressible rubber or plastic foam material, which have axial bores 114 receiving the shaft 108.

The cylinders 112 are slightly smaller in diameter than the roller ends 76a, and conform to the shape thereof, as shown in FIGURE 6. The roller ends 76a being in downwardly divergent relationship, the top of the roller body 116, formed by the cylinders 112 is thereby under maximum compression, while the bottom of the body 116 is under minimum compression. Annular felts 118, of such absorbent materials as felt, rubber or plastic foann are larger in diameter than the roller ends 76a and are seated around the main portions 78a of the ends. The felts 118 are preferably made larger in diameter than the roller ends 76a so that they can allow paint from the roller 74a to be applied to the lower edges of the guide and guard plate discs. Where a less close painting edge is contemplated, the felts 118 can be of the same diameter as the roller ends 76a.

The use and operation of the device 12a of FIGURES 6 to 8 is the same as for the device 1.2 of FIGURES 1 to 5. The lower edge of one of the guide and guard plates may be yplaced in a corner of a surface being painted to guide the roller as close as possible to an adjacent upright wall and to aid in preventing streaking of paint on the adjacent wall surface. The rotatable discs 102 on the guide and guard plates 66a enable paint supplied from the roller 74a and felts 118 to be applied in a close painting edge to the surface being painted.

Although there yhave been shown and described preferred forms of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necess-arily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is: v

1. A paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, and said mounting means subjecting the .roller to endwise compression and holding the rollerends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially at, said roller ends being circular and having edge portions `and reduced diameter main portions which extend laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said roller comprising `a coil -spring having lend convolutions engaged aroundthe main portions and bearing against the inward surfaces y-of the edge portions of the roller ends, said spring being `compressed between the roller ends, and yan absorbent, compressible, and resilient sleeve engaged over the spring, said sleeve having ends securably engaged between the end convolutions of the spring anc the edge portions of the roller ends.

2. A paint roller assembly comprising a roller, mean: rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilienl landfcompressible and h-aving rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression anc holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent rela tion to each other whereby the top of the roller is undei maximum compression and the bottom of the roller i: under minimum compression and is substantially flat said roller ends being circular and comprising edge por tions, pan-shaped main portions .smaller in diamete` than and extending laterally inwardly from the edgc portions, said main portions being annular and having inner edges, and inwardly tapering .annular portions on said inner edges, a roller body comprising absorbent, resilient, and compressible cylinders, said cylinders being in aligned relationship, and being compressed be- 'tween the roller ends.

3. A paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially at, said roller ends being circular and comprising edge portions, panshaped main portions smaller in diameter than and extending laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said main portions being annular and having inner edges, and inwardly tapering -annul-ar portions on said inner edges, a roller body comprising absorbent, resilient, and compressible cylinders, said cylinders being in aligned relationship, and being compressed between the roller ends, and annular felts surrounding the main portions of the roller ends -and compressed by the edge portions of the roller ends and adjacent cylinders.

, 4. A paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent rel-ation to each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially Hat, said roller ends being circular and having edge portions and reduced diameter main portions which extend laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said roller comprising .a coil :spring having end convolutions engaged around the main portions and bearing against the inward surfaces of the edge portions of the roller ends, said spring ybeing compressed between the roller ends, and an absorbent, compressible and resilient sleeve engaged over the spring, said sleeve having ends securably engaged between the end convolutions of the spring Iand the edge portions of the roller ends, sa-id roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends.

5. A paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent relation t-o each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression land is substantially dat, said rol-ler ends being circular and having edge portions and reduced diameter main portions which extend laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said roller comprising a coil spring having end convolutions engaged around the main portions and bearing against the inward surfaces of the edge portions of the roller ends, said spring being compressed between the roller ends, and an absorbent, compressible, and resilient sleeve engaged over the spring, said sleeve having ends securably engaged between the end convolutions of the spring and the edge portions of the roller ends,

said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier yarms having touching upper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a

frame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and,

rear anges adjacent the ends thereof, said llanges having valigned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and a rearwardly extending handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions.

6. A shielded paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roler to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially i'lat, said roller ends being circular and having edge portions and reduced diameter main portions which extend laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said roller comprising a coil spring having end convolutions engaged around tbe main portions and bearing against the inward surfaces of the edge portions of the roller ends, said spring being compressed between the roller ends, and an absorbent, compressible, and resilient sleeve engaged over the spring, said sleeve having ends securably engaged between the end convolutions of the spring and the edge portions of the roller ends, said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier arms having touching upper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a trame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and rear ilanges adjacent the ends thereof, said flanges having aligned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and a rearwardly extending handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame flanges at opposite sides of the horizontal portions, upwardly divergent arms on the rear ends of the shafts, and downwardly divergent guard plates iixed at their upper ends to the shafts in front of the frame, said guard plates having lower portions at the axially outward sides of the `roller ends, said guard plates having convex arcuate surface contacting lower ends, spring means urging the guard plates downwardly and inwarly toward each other, and further spring means embracing said horizontal portions and having arms bearing upon the shafts and yieldably urging the guard plates downwardly to put their lower edges below the bottom of the roller.

7. A shielded paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible, and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the top orr the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially fiat, said roller ends being circular and having edgeportions and reduced diameter main portions which extend laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said roller comprising a coil spring having end convolutions engaged around the main portions and bearing against the inward surfaces of the edge portions of the roller ends, said spring being compressed between the roller ends, and an absorbent, compressible, and resilient sleeve engaged over the spring, said sleeve having ends securably engaged between the end convolutions of the spring and the edge portions of the roller ends, said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier arms having touching upper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a frame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and rear flanges adjacent the ends thereof, said anges having aligned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and la rearwardly extendi-ng handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame iianges at opposite sides of the horizontal portions, upwardly divergent arms on the rear ends of the shafts, and downwardly divergent guard plates fixed at their upper ends to the shafts in front of the frame, said guard plates having lower portions at the axially outward sides of the roller ends, said guard plates having convex arcuate surface contacting lower ends, spring means urging the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, and further spring means embracing said horizontal portions and having arms bearing upon the shafts and yieldably urging the guard plates downwardly to put their lower edges below the bottom of the roller, the surface contacting ends of the guard plates being the lower edges of discs journaled on the lower parts of the guard plates. 8. A shielded paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the rollerr ends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially flat, said roller ends being circular and having edge portions and reduced diameter main portions which extend laterally inwardly from the edge portions,4said roller comprising a coil spring having end convolutions engaged around the main portions and bearing against the inward surfaces of the edge portions of the roller ends, said spring being compressed between the roller ends, and an absorbent, compressible, and resilient sleeve engaged over the spring, said sleeve having ends securably engaged between the end convolutions of the spring and the edge portions of the roller ends, said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier arms having touching upper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a frame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and rear flanges adjacent the ends thereof, said flanges having aligned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and a rearwardly extending handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame anges at opposite sides of the horizontal portions, upwardly divergent arms on the rear ends of the shafts, and downwardly divergent guard plates fixed at their upper ends to the shafts in front of the having lower portions at the axially outward sides of the roller ends, said guard plates having convex arcuate surface contacting lowerl ends, spring means urging the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, and further spring means embracing said horizontal portions and having arms bearing upon the shafts and yieldably urging the guard plates downwardly to put their lower edges below the bottom of the roller, the surface contacting ends of the journaled on the lower parts of the guard plates and located at the laterally outward sides of the guard plates.

9. A paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the t-op of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially flat, said roller ends being circular and comprising edge portions, panshaped main portions tending laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said main portions bein-g annular and having inner edges, and inwardly tapering annular portions on said inner edges, a roller body comprising absorbent, resilient, and compressible cylinders, said cylinders being in aligned relationship, and being compressed between the roller ends, and annular felts surrounding the main portions of the guard plates being the lower edges of discsv frame, said guard plates smaller in diameter than and exroller ends and compressed by the edge portions of the roller ends and adjacent cylinders, said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier arms having touching upper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a frame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and rear flanges adjacent the ends thereof, said flanges having aligned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and a rearwardly extending handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions.

10. A shielded paint roller assembly comprising a roller, means rotatably mounting said roller, said roller being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends, said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise compression and holding the roller ends in downwardly divergent relation to each other whereby the top of the roller is under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller is under minimum compression and is substantially flat, said'roller ends being circular and com prising edge portions, pan-shaped main portions smaller in diameter than and extending laterally inwardly from the edge portions, said main portions being annular and having inner edges, and inwardly tapering annular portions on said inner edges, a roller body comprising absorbent, resilient, and compressible cylinders, said cylinders being in aligned relationship and being compressed between the roller ends, and annular felts surrounding the main portions of the roller ends and compressed by the edge portions of the roller ends and adjacent cylinders, said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier arms having touching yupper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a frame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and rear flanges adjacent the ends thereof, said flanges having aligned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and a rearwardly extending handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame flanges at opposite sides of the horizontal portions, upwardly divergent arms on the rear ends of the shafts, and downwardly divergent guard platesy fixed at their upper ends to the shafts in front of the frame, said guard plates having lowel portionsat the axially outward sides of the roller ends said guard plates having'convex arcuate surface contacting lower ends, spring -rneans urging the guard plates down wardly and inwardly toward each other, and further spring means embracing saidfhorizontal portions and havin; arms bearing upon the shafts and yieldably urging thi guard plates downwardly t-o put their lower edges belov the bottom of the roller.

11. A shielded ypaint roller assembly comprising 1 roller, means" rotatably mounting said roller, said rolle being resilient and compressible and having rigid ends said mounting means subjecting the roller to endwise com pression and holding the roller ends in downwardl` divergent relation to each other whereby the top of th roller is under maximum compression and the bottor j of the roller is under minimum compression and is sul stantially ilat, said roller ends being circular and corr prising edge portions, pan-.shaped main portions smalle in diameter Vthan and extending laterally inwardly froi l the edge portions, said main portions being annular an having inner edges, and inwardly tapering annular po: tions on said inner edges,` a roller body comprising al sorbent, resilient, and compressible cylinders, said cy inders being in aligned relationship, and being compresse between the roller ends, and annular felts surroundir the main portions of the roller ends and compresse by the edge portions of the roller ends .and adjacent cy inders, said roller ends having axial bores extending therethrough, said mounting means comprising Vertical downwardly divergent carrier arms having pintles on their lower en-ds rotatably engaged through the bores of the roller ends, said carrier arms having touching upper portions and rearwardly extending horizontal portions, a frame having a horizontal portion and lateral front and rear flanges adjacent the ends thereof, said flanges having aligned horizontal slots through which the horizontal portions are engaged, and a rearwardly extending handle secured to the rear ends of the horizontal portions, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame anges at opposite sides of the horizontal portions, upwardly divergent arms on the rear ends of the shafts, and downwardly divergent guard plates lixed at their upper ends to the 4shafts in front of the frame, said guard plates having lower portions at the axially outward sides of the r-oller ends, said guard plates having convex arcuate surface contacting lower ends, spring means urging the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, and further spring means embracing said horizontal portions and having arms bearing upon the shafts and yieldably urging the guard plates downwardly to put their lower edges below the bottom of the roller, the surface contacting ends of the guard plates being the lower edges of discs journaled on the lower parts of the guard plates.

12. A paint roller assembly comprising a frame, a pair of downwardly divergent carrier arms xed to the frame, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame at op- .posite sides of the carrier arms, pendant downwardly divergent guard plates fixed to the shafts, said shafts having thereon upwardly divergent arms, spring means adapted to urge the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, said upwardly divergent arms being adapted to be compressed toward each other for spreading the guard plates upwardly and away from each other, said carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends, and a paint roller having rigid ends formed with axial bores rotatably receiving the pintles.

13. A paint roller assembly comprising a frame, a pair of downwardly divergent carrier arms iixed to the frame, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame at opposite sides of the carrier arms, pendant downwardly divergent guard plates fixed to the shafts, said shafts having thereon upwardly divergent arms, spring means adapted to urge the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, said upwardly divergent arms being adapted to be compressed toward each other for spreading the guard plates upwardly and away from each other,

said carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends, and a paint roller having rigid ends formed with axial bores rotatably receiving the pintles, the paint roller being resilient and compressible and being under endwise compression between the carrier arms.

14. A paint roller assembly comprising a frame, a pair of downwardly divergent carrier arms fixed to the frame, h-orizontal shafts journaled through the frame at opposite sides of the carrier arms, pendant downwardly divergent guard plates xed to the shafts, said shafts having thereon upwardly divergent arms, spring means adapted to urge the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, said upwardly divergent arms being adapted to be compressed toward each other for spreading the guard plates upwardly and away from each other, said carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends, and a paint roller having rigid ends formed with axial bores rotatably receiving the pintles, the paint roller being resilient and compressible and being under endwise compression between the carrier arms, said roller ends being in downwardly divergent relationship to each other, the top of the roller being under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller being substantially flat and under minimum compression.

15. A paint roller assembly comprising a frame, a pair of downwardly divergent carrier arms fixed to the frame, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame at opposite sides of the carrier arms, pendant downwardly divergent guard plates fixed to the shafts, said shafts having thereon upwardly divergent arms, spring means adapted to urge the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, said upwardly divergent arms being adapted to be compressed toward each other for spreading the guard plates upwardly and away from each other, said carrier arms having pintles 0n their lower ends, and a paint roller having rigid ends formed with axial bores rotatably receiving the pintles, the paint roller being resilient and compressible and being under endwise compression between the carrier arms, said roller ends being in downwardly divergent relationship to each other, the top of the roller being under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller being substantially flat and under minimum compression, the lower edges of the guard plates being convex and arcuate and concentric with the roller, the bottom of the roller being substantially on a level with the lower ends of the guard plates.

16. A paint roller assembly comprising a frame, a pair of downwardly divergent carrier arms fixed to the frame, horizontal shafts journaled through the frame at opposite sides of the carrier arms, pendant downwardly divergent guard plates fixed to the shafts, said shafts having thereon upwardly divergent arms, spring means adapted to urge the guard plates downwardly and inwardly toward each other, said upwardly divergent arms being adapted to be compressed toward each other for spreading the guard plates upwardly and away from each other, Said carrier arms having pintles on their lower ends, and a paint roller having rigid ends formed with axial bores rotatably receiving the pintles, the paint roller being resilient and compressible and being under endwise compression between the carrier arms, said roller ends being in downwardly divergent relationship to each other, the top of the roller being under maximum compression and the bottom of the roller being substantially at and under minimum compression, the lower edges of the guard plates being convex and arcuate and concentric with the roller, the bottom of the roller being initially spaced above the lower edges of the guard plates, and spring means urging the guard plates together downwardly with respect to the frame, whereby the lower edges of the guard plates are normally below the level of the bottom of the roller.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,091,131 8/37 Cone.

2,168,842 8/39 Kesteven et al. 128-57 2,904,813 9/59 Schleicher l5-230.l1

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,104,638 6/55 France.

848,193 9/60 Great Britain.

DANIEL BLUM, Primary Examiner. CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Examiner. 

12. A PAINT ROLLER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A FRAME, A PAIR OF DOWNWARDLY DIVERGENT CARRIER ARMS FIXED TO THE FRAME, HORIZONTAL SHAFTS JOURNALED THROUGH THE FRAME AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE CARRIER ARMS, PENDANT DOWNWARDLY DIVERGENT GUARD PLATES FIXED TO THE SHAFTS, SAID SHAFTS HAVING THEREON UPWARDLY DIVERGENT ARMS, SPRING MEANS ADAPTED TO URGE THE GUARD PLATES DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER, SAID UPWARDLY DIVERGENT ARMS BEING ADAPTED TO BE COMPRESSED TOWARD EACH OTHER FOR SPREADING THE GUARD PLATES UPWARDLY AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SAID CARRIER ARMS HAVING PINTLES ON THEIR LOWER ENDS, AND A PINT ROLLER HAVING RIGID ENDS FROM WITH AXIAL BORES ROTATABLY RECEIVING THE PINTLES. 